Start with a notebook.

I know there are all kinds of calorie tracking apps out there, but I wouldn't start with anything that actually requires you to think about calories or get out the measuring cups just yet.

Yes, I do all those things now,(I keep measuring cups at the office) but if you're just coming in from the food cold as it were, you need to start by just writing down how much is going in. All of it. Including the bits from cooking, the double latte that you need to get through the afternoon, and the stuff you eat in front of the refrigerator in the middle of the night. (I'm going to do a full scale ode to Geneen Roth soon, but I'll start with one of my favorite quotes: "When you eat in front of the refrigerator, pull up a chair.")

Seriously-go low-tech. There's cheap calender books on sale right now. (I'm saddened by how much the on-line calender programs have supplanted the books, but they are still out there.) Or just buy a cute notebook, or a cheap, ugly one, or if you HAVE to do it on the computer, start a document.

Just write it down. This may be painful; it may be excruciating. It may make you binge and curse my name. I'm used to that. Or it may start to bring an awareness of what's triggering you and what's going in that isn't bringing you any joy for the calories involved. I'm not going to recommend ANY particular diet * or way of eating...except preaching about the evils of sugar, but I am going to tell you that I have written down every fucking morsel since June and ALL of my size 16s and 14s are now in the "clown pants" category, and if I hadn't stopped when I did I was thiiiiissssss close to needing 18's. I'm just lucky that Dress Barn probably vanity sizes a little so I was spared having to the number. That doesn't mean it's not out there waiting for me.

While you're at it, write down ANY exercise you're doing. 10 minutes on the treadmill. A walk around the block. 1 push-up. ANYTHING.

My notebook for this year is one that Sebastian gave me, with a vintage Thor comic as the cover. I figure he will make good inspiration to get me further down the path to fitness.

*I take that back---I will tell you something: Atkins sucks and if you go on it, you're a fucking idiot.